Hunting & Fishing How much to tip outfitter/guide

[khall540]

I am going on my first western guided hunt this November in Idaho for mule deer. It is a 7 day hunt. There will be one guide for me and my hunting partner, one cook at camp, and a wrangler for the horses I believe. What is proper etiquette in gratuity? Do you tip each employee or just the guide and let him split it up? How much are you expected to tip or what percentage? The total outfitter fee is about $3200 / hunter after adding tax and not including tag and license fees. Thanks for your input.

 

[buckey]

If your guide/outfitter does a good job and gives a good effort...10-12% of the hunt cost is a good tip!!

 

[Mountain Shooter]

As some one that worked as a Guide/Packer/ Wrangler/and a cook over the years I feel everyone gets a tip. I made more in tips from guiding and cooking than I did in guide wages per month the few years I worked in WY. Figure 25 % of the hunt split amone the guide, cook, and wrangler in that order if everyone bust their but to make sure you had a good hunt. Remember a Good hunt does not always mean a sucessfull hunt and a filled tag. It is hunting unless you are shooting them inside the fence on a 100% Kill hunt.. A good cook can make a poor hunt into a good trip.

 

[khall540]

Thank you for your input guys. Mountain Shooter- your input especially. Its always nice to hear from someone who has "been there, done that" and I figured someone on this site had done just that.

 

[shamrockcattleco]

I know its not the norm. but a few times in my guiding career I was tipped with knives and once a range finder. Another guide was tipped a Gun from a Savage rep. I always liked it the best. felt more personal to me. However I do have a few more knives than necessary. The 10% seemed to be normal. and our cook was always tipped separately. Hope you have fun. Would love to take you out for a spot and stalk like we had on this one. Rusty reed | FullDraw Outfitters

 

[hognuts]

I have never done a "fully guided" hunt, but have done a drop camp and I tipped my guide that took us in and out and transported my bull $500, which was well worth the work he saved me by riding in to where the elk was. I only had packed one of the quarters and the head back to camp by the time he got into camp. He retrieved the rest from near the kill site. Made my life a damn site easier! Have fun and good luck!

 

[charvey9]

10% is about the standard. If they do a great job, and you get a nice animal consider giving more.